Wing span
Medium-sized–large, 48–63 mm (1.87–2.46 in.). Females larger than males.
Wing upper side
Orange with black blotches.
Wing underside
Forewing beige to orange with dark blotches. Hind wing beige to reddish brown with pale yellow or shiny silver blotches. Red-bordered eyespots with white centres between shiny silvery rows of blotches.
Habitat
Meadows, forest and grazing land with an abundance of flowers.
Flying time
July–early August.
Overwintering form
Caterpillar.
Larval foodplant
Violets and pansies (Viola), especially heath dog violet (V. canina).

The high brown fritillary is quite common in southern Finland. It looks a lot like dark green fritillary and especially the niobe fritillary. It can be differentiated from the former mainly by to the row of pale-centred brown blotches along the trailing edge of the hind wings. Compared to the niobe fritillary, the basal part of the dark borders of the light-coloured blotches along the edges of the high brown fritillary’s hind wings are sharp and clearly delineated. Additionally, the three central blotches in the row of brown blotches inside the second-outermost row of pale blotches are a lighter shade of brown.

Males fly around looking for females. Females lay their eggs individually in suitable cracks in tree bark close to host plants (violets).

High Brown Fritillary

Taxonomy

Order

Family

Subfamily

Genus

Species